1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick-connect cartridge assembly that includes a plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fittings, valves and manifolds, such as those used to control air brakes on trucks, are mounted in valve fittings or manifold bodies that have ports for connecting fluid lines thereto. To minimize manufacturing expense, reduce assembly errors and expedite assembly, the fluid lines are typically coupled to the ports utilizing what are referred to as “quick-connect cartridges.” In the truck manufacturing industry, these couplings are commonly referred to as “air brake quick-connect cartridges.” These couplings allow an assembler to make connections in air brake systems by simply pushing the connector of a fluid line into the quick-connect cartridge after the cartridge has been mounted within a port of a valve or fitting manifold.
In one known quick-connect cartridge design, the components of the cartridge are mounted on a plug. The plug is used as a shipping pin and is also used to install the components into a port of a valve or fitting manifold. The plug may then be removed from the installed cartridge components or retained in the installed components until a fluid line is coupled to the port. While this design has proven effective in practice, coupling designers continue to develop improvements in these types of couplings to further minimize manufacturing expense, reduce assembly errors and expedite assembly of the components into a port and removal of the plug from the components.